The Magic Of Christmas
by Cry-Of-A-Warp-Engine
Summary: To protect the belief of innocence is one thing... but to save it? For me, it took something remarkable, so much so that you'll hardly believe it. But I'll tell you anyway... whether you see the truth or a wild tale of magic. (Christmas Special story, featuring xXBalorBabeXx's character Carly)
1. Christmas With The Family

_**Carly is xXBalorBabeXx's character.**_

 _ **Carly**_

 _In my younger days… I lived in Ludendorff once. It was a cold place, snow from October through to May. But when we moved to Los Santos… there was no snow._

 _Except from on our first Christmas there… at almost a year since we moved, snow began to fall upon the city during the December of 2005. December 24th to be exact._

 _I'd missed the snow, and it overjoyed me to see it again… naturally, the only thing to do on that rare white Christmas Eve was to build a snowman. And I made it big, at least 6 feet tall…_

 _The thing is… it was a real snowman…_

* * *

 ** _? ? ?_**

 _Ah... time for the story of little Caroline Jadelynn, is it? That girl... I met her once. Well... I've met everyone at some point._

 _Yes... everyone on this world... Even you._

 _Anyway, I shan't keep you long... I'll see you in a few weeks._

 _Question is... Will you see me?_

* * *

 **12/24/05…**

 _The snow fell across the fields of Senora, littered up the side of the Vinewood sign. And when I woke up and saw the white around the edges of my window… I knew it would be a truly magical Christmas…_

"Da… Daddy?! It's snowing!" Carly called out with excitement after she left her bed and stood at the window, looking out to the city that almost looked like it had been painted white.

"You're telling me! Almost froze my fingers off scraping that car windshield!" Michael responded from downstairs, moments before Carly jumped back and yelped in fright as a snowball splatted against her window.

"You silly idiot!" Carly shouted, Jimmy laughing from the road sidewalk down below.

"If you're gonna join them, wrap up warm, babes!" Michael called up, Carly stepping back from the window and to her closet. She changed out of her pyjamas into some jeans, a T shirt, jumper and her wellies with thick thermal socks, before she headed downstairs.

"Get something in you at least, girl." Amanda said as Carly walked into the kitchen, taking the cereal bar that her mother gave to her and sitting at the table sideways on the chair, taking bites of it as she slipped her boots on. She knew the drill about snow, it was still fresh in her mind since last Christmas had been spent in Ludendorff… but sometimes Carly got this feeling that her mother just saw her as stupid or dumb.

Minutes later, she stepped outside, a breeze of cold wind hitting her face and almost pushing down her fluffy edged hood. The coat was one of the last things her Uncle Trevor had gotten her that she still had, a lot had to be left behind in the caravan to avoid being linked to them. Carly still didn't entirely understand why they'd had to move… she knew that her dad was in trouble and that they'd moved to escape the life that occupied him, but why everyone had to think that he was dead was a blank to her.

"Snowballs, sis?" Jimmy questioned, holding one up.

"No… I wanted to make a snowman. Can you help? You're taller than me." Carly replied, Jimmy smiling and dropping the snowball.

"Okay… we can make a really big one, with dad's help! Let's start making the body." Jimmy replied before he and Carly ran off towards the backyard to make the snowman on the tennis court.

The two of them began rolling a large ball for the base of the body itself. Once they had a large one, around three feet in diameter, they began to pack in snow at the base to smooth out where it joined the ground, and heaped more on top. Carly went indoors and pulled one of the kitchen chairs out so that the two could stand on top of it, while adding more snow that they'd collected from the ground of the court and the surrounding flower beds.

"What's going on here then?" The two heard as Michael walked over, smiling as he saw the two and their creation. "Blimey, he's a big one, ain't he?"

"We want him to be taller than even you, daddy!" Carly replied, Michael chuckling.

"What, like…" Michael crouched down and picked Carly up with his hands at her sides, before he raised her high up above his head. "This tall?"

"Yeah!" Carly shouted with a giggle, before she was placed back down on her feet.

"Well then… Jim boy, you add a few more inches onto that body. Carly girl, let's start on a head, shall we?" Michael said, Jimmy nodding and starting to gather more snow as Michael and his little daughter went to the upper layer of the yard where there was more undisturbed snow, as there were now trails and gaps all over the tennis court where they had previously rolled and gathered to make the body.

They rolled a ball for the head, and Michael carried it back down the steps while Carly began searching the flower beds for some good stones to use for the decorations.

"Jimmy, gimme a hand?" Michael questioned as he held up the ball, Jimmy jumping back up on the chair and helping Michael to roll the ball on top of the large pile that made up the body, and packed a little snow around it to seal it in place. Meanwhile using her gloved hand, Carly carved in grooves on the front and back to separate out some legs and arms. Jimmy then pushed in a row of pebbles into the front of the body to look like buttons, Michael pushed in the eyes, nose and mouth and finally, he picked Carly up so she could place a baseball cap on top.

"It's finished! He's so big!" Carly said, jumping up and down in happiness.

"He is indeed. High fives all around, kiddos." Michael replied, giving both Carly and Jimmy a high five with each of his hands.

Jimmy carried the chair back indoors later as the cold began to get through to them, and the three removed their coats, gloves and wettened boots after stepping through to the foyer.

"What happened to the chair?" Tracey questioned as she saw the chair legs, Amanda looking and seeing that the bottom of the legs were scraped and splintering apart.

"Christ alive, that damn girl…" Amanda muttered. She'd wait until later…

When that later came around, they were all sat at the table eating their dinner, having ordered a large pizza, with a usual cheese and tomato base, ham and pepperoni topping and a garlic stuffed crust. It was as they nearly finished that Amanda brought it up. "That chair you're sat on, Jim… that was the one that you used outside, wasn't it?"

"Yeah… it's not wet or anything, Carly got it so we could better reach the snowman's head." Jimmy answered, Carly looking up from her food.

"I see… tell me, Carly… why did you royally fuck up the legs?!" Amanda questioned, looking at Carly now.

"I didn't mean to… it was heavy, I couldn't pick it up-" Carly tried to explain.

"What a load of bollocks!" Amanda shouted. "You just love costing me money, don't ya?! You think that because I provide for you before I do for myself that if you make me spend out, I'll starve myself, don't ya?!"

"Allow me to be the first to say that the majority of your money buys makeup and shoes, _I_ buy the food in this house!" Michael responded.

"I don't see you complaining when I go out looking like the wife of a superstar, when I'm actually the wife of a lazy guy who ripped us away from everything we ever knew, and rather endangered his life instead of preserving it for his family!" Amanda replied.

"What does that mean?" Carly questioned, Jimmy and Tracey glancing at each other as they knew the full story that she didn't.

"Your father used to make a living by robbing people, little Carly! He killed and robbed, taking the money and lives from innocent families for his own benefit! What he buys your food with is blood money!" Amanda explained, Carly stepping back with eyes wide of shock.

"Great job, mom of the year!" Michael shouted sarcastically.

"Please… stop shouting!" Carly said, covering her ears. "You're too loud-"

"You've SAID ENOUGH!" Amanda yelled, before her hand cracked across Carly's face, a red mark quickly flaring up on her cheek and she was knocked back a few steps by it. "UPSTAIRS, NOW! STUPID LITTLE BRAT!"

Carly ran off as tears began to run down her cheeks, the shouting continuing behind her. She ran into her room and slammed the door shut, before jumping into bed and under the covers, grabbing her pillow and squeezing it close to her as she buried her face into it. An hour or two passed and Tracey entered the room quietly, trying to touch Carly's shoulder but she shoved her off.

"GO AWAY!" Carly yelled, muffled by the pillow.

"Hey, it's alright, I'm only trying to give you a-"

"I DON'T CARE!"

Tracey stood up, her eyes narrowing. "Fine then… if you won't let your own sister near you, maybe Mom is right after all!"

Tracey left and closed the door behind her… and Carly only cried harder, until she finally wore herself out and fell asleep.


	2. The Snowman

In the darkness of the night, Carly awoke. Something had disturbed her, something beyond the stinging bruise on her face. It was suddenly silent.

She looked up… on her bedside table, her clock was there as normal. But it was very slow, the seconds hand ticking once in about every 15 seconds.

"Battery might be gone…" Carly said quietly, thinking out loud. She got out of the bed and as quietly as she could, went out and downstairs to the kitchen… but then she noticed. The clock in the foyer was having the same strange effect. And that one didn't have a battery to wear down, it was a manual one powered by a swinging weight much like an old 'grandfather' clock.

She wandered into the kitchen, the room still illuminated by the moonlight reflecting off of the snow. Fresh snow had fallen again and filled in the areas which had been disturbed, but through the window she saw that the snowman still stood tall as before.

"Thirsty…" Carly whispered, opening the fridge to find the carton of pineapple juice. "Hope it doesn't make me wet the bed." She said as she poured herself a glass. She'd rarely done it since she was 5, but she knew that Jimmy had a problem with it, Michael having told her that it was something to do with the stress caused by moving so suddenly and that it has a long lasting effect sometimes.

Just as she was about to leave back upstairs, Carly heard something. A ringing from outside, high pitched and of a glittery and magical style. She looked… just in time to see a bright glow surrounding her snowman, stepping closer to the glass doors… and almost dropping her glass in shock as the snowman suddenly moved, outstreching his arms and letting out a loud yawn.

He looked around the tennis courts, before turning around as Carly cautiously opened the door. He looked at her in curiosity and smiled, before stepping towards her.

"Hey… did you build me?" The snowman questioned, looking at his arms.

"I… me and my dad and brother did." Carly answered.

"Wow… you did a great job, little one. I'm impressed by this one." The snowman replied with a bigger smile. "I am… I don't know a name actually…"

"I thought I'd call you Snowy… I'm Carly." Carly responded, extending her hand.

"Ooh… I've never shook a hand before, and I like that name." Snowy replied as he shook her hand.

"Thank you… cold hands." Carly said.

"I'm made of cold." Snowy replied, the two giggling before they both went indoors. "It's warmer in here… but not too much, I won't melt on you."

"That's good… my mom would kill me if the floor got wet." Carly replied.

"You're kidding, right?" Snowy questioned, Carly pointing to the chair legs and then to the bruise on her cheek. "Damn it… come here." He said before he rested one hand on her cheek. Carly gasped slightly at the sudden cold, but she worked out what he was doing, his snow-built hand was acting like an ice pack on her.

"That… that's feeling better…" Carly said quietly as the heat around the bruise was slowly relieved. Snowy kept his hand there for a couple more minutes until he removed it and the swelling and redness had gone down, all that was left being a small purple mark across her cheek. "Thank you, Snowy."

"You're welcome, Carly… ooh, what's that?" Snowy responded before he went to the table where some that evening's dinner was still set out.

"Dinner… I… didn't finish mine." Carly answered.

"Why not now?" Snowy questioned.

"It's gone cold now." Carly answered.

Snowy picked up one of the half eaten bits of pizza from Carly's place and put it in his mouth. "I don't have a problem with cold… damn, no teeth!" He said, Carly giggling and stepping over.

"How could you eat anyway?" Carly asked as she picked up another piece of the pizza, finding that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be when cold, though still tasted better hot.

"Well, how can I move? How can I speak to you?" Snowy responded before crouching down to her height and pointing to the wall. "You see the clocks, how they've slowed down? How do you think Santa gets to every house in a matter of hours, all across the world? It's the magic of this night… once in 365 nights, four seconds take a whole minute to happen. Meaning the whole night takes the equivalent of about two days… and no one is any the wiser."

"Santa… he's real?" Carly questioned, her eyes wide. Like most kids, as she'd gotten older she'd began to question the childhood tales of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and all that came in between.

"Of course he is… and soon, I can take you to him." Snowy replied, Carly's eyes widening. "More happens than just the big man delivering. He has to celebrate Christmas somehow too… so in the magic slowdown we're in, he calls every snowman in the world to a big party in the North."

"So that's how… why doesn't he just celebrate on Christmas Day?" Carly questioned.

"Time slows down remember, he works for a good 30 hours on end. I'd imagine he sleeps the day through." Snowy answered, Carly nodding as she understood.

"Like I am sometimes on Fridays, after School is over for the week." Carly replied, Snowy nodding in agreement.

"So… there anything to do? We've got about an hour in slowed time before we have to go to the party." Snowy questioned, Carly thinking for a moment… before it set in that everyone else in the house was asleep in almost slow motion to her, so they wouldn't be waking up for a while yet… and a mischevious smile appeared on her face, before she led Snowy upstairs.

Carefully creeping into her parents' room, Carly saw that as expected, Michael and Amanda were both deep asleep, though there was a distance between them instead of what Carly would have normally expected, as in the films and imagination a couple often laid in bed with the husband's arms around his wife, often laid behind her… but Carly's parents were laid apart with their backs to each other, and it almost disturbed her slightly to see the two broken apart like that.

"So… she's the woman who hit you, is she?" Snowy questioned, looking at Amanda. Carly silently nodded before she stepped towards the walk-in closet.

"Come on… you're naked." Carly said with a slight giggle, Snowy following her into the closet and looking at the large array of Michael's clothes that were hung up around the small room. "Well… take your pick."

"Hmm…" Snowy hummed in curiosity, looking through the clothes. He picked out one of Michael's pair of trousers with shoulder strap suspenders attached to them, and Carly giggles as he put them over his head in confusion. She reached up and guided him to putting them over his shoulders correctly. "Ah, okay… hmm… nah, don't like it." He said, taking the trousers off before he found Michael's leather jacket and put that on, taking off the cap as well. "How's that?"

"You look like a biker!" Carly giggled.

"Yes… a biker… I like it!" Snowy responded.

"Bike… bike…" Carly thought out loud, shuffling one foot back and forth out of habit. "I know what we can do… come on!"


	3. The Motorbike

Michael had had the old Triumph motorbike for many years, longer than any of his kids had been alive. Even longer than he'd been married to Amanda, it was one of the first vehicles he'd ever owned.

"Wow… a true classic, this is." Snowy said, after removing the cover from the bike, and rested both hands on it. "Triumph… a 1972. Britain knew how to make bikes back in the day."

"You know that… but not how to put on a pair of trousers?" Carly questioned.

"I think… I'm waking up. Bare in mind that I've been asleep since today last time it snowed in this city." Snowy explained.

"Probably quite a few years then…" Carly replied, as Snowy pulled the bike up off of its stand and swung one leg over it, stood straddled over the seat. "Oh, here." She picked up two bike helmets from the table nearby and gave one to Snowy, which was in the leather hat and goggles style of an old pilot's helmet.

"Safety first, of course." Snowy replied, strapping on the helmet as Carly climbed on behind him, with the more conventional motorbike helmet covering her whole head.

Snowy kicked the pedal below and the bike spluttered into life, the engine roaring as the garage door opened automatically as well as the yard gate… and once Carly held her arms around his waist, he sped off into the darkness and light snowfall.

The roads were empty, the city in silence. The two felt the wind blasting against them as they sped and skidded through streets and alleyways. They almost hit a fox that lept out of a dustbin, but Snowy was skilled with a motorbike and managed to dodge an impact, and the fox walked away only in shock.

"This is so much fun!" Carly shouted over the wind, Snowy laughing as he drove ahead. They drove through the streets more until they reached the countryside and they sped through trees, fields and over hills and dirt tracks. Minutes felt like hours and Carly was having the time of her life. In that moment, she'd quite simply fallen in love with bikes.

Finally, they returned home… mainly because the heat of the engine had started to melt Snowy's legs, and also it was coming close to the time. Time for them to head off. But before that, they needed to do something about his melting legs.

Carly helped a wobbly Snowy to the large freezer in the garage, her little arms managing to open the top for him to climb inside. He let out a sigh of relief as his legs began to cool again, while Carly ventured out across the front driveway and gathered some snow to repair his legs.

"Ah… that's better, kiddo." Snowy said with a smile as Carly patted the snow into place.

"Can't have a Snowy that isn't snowy." Carly replied, Snowy laughing a little.

"You know… Christmas is truly a magical time. More so than most people realise… a lot more goes on than just Father Christmas and the nativity anniversary, it's a pivotal day for a lot of things." Snowy said.

"Like what?" Carly questioned… Snowy smiled.

He stepped forward out into the yard, picking up some snow and throwing it into the air, the snow floating and forming into the pattern of three pointed stars. "The angels of Orion mark their own creation

"The moon has aligned with the northern cluster… it's time to go." Snowy said, looking up at the sky.

"How… will we go?" Carly questioned, Snowy looking down at her as they stood side by side. He then moved his hand out, Carly holding it.

"We will fly."


	4. Flying To The Party

They ran. Snow was kicked up by each step, as they marched ahead. Out of the garage, across the driveway, across the garden, across the hedge…

Yes. Across the hedge.

Because in that moment, their feet lept off the ground and didn't come back down. Only going higher and higher into the icy cold air and the darkness of the night…

"Woah! We're…" Carly said, wide eyes looking down below at the roofs of buildings. "...we're flying!"

"Welcome to the magic, kiddo!" Snowy responded before they banked and turned left, until they were pointing North, and shot off ahead.

Carly was surprised that she felt no cold, no wind, despite them flying at least as fast as 80mph. The Vinewood sign passed below them, so did Sandy Shores… Carly had an idea and pointed to Mount Chilliad, Snowy working it out and flying towards the peak.

"We can make it! Up we go!" Snowy replied, before he began to increase their attitude as they approached the mountain.

Atop the peak of the highest point in San andreas, a small gathering of hikers had been going on… and as Carly and Snowy flew overhead, a few of them looked up with eyes wide with shock… and one or two even took a second glance at the labels and ingredients of their drinks.

Further along their journey, Carly's smile became unconcealable as they flew beneath the San Fierro bridge. She had no idea if she was dreaming or not, but she dare not pinch herself to wake up. This dream was perfection…

It was a magic that the 8 year old never wanted to end.

After passing under the bridge, they were out to sea… and then they heard an engine.

"Snowballs and icicles, it is you! Good to see you again!"

Carly and Snowy both looked back as they flew, to see an old crop duster airplane approaching, with another snowman at the controls, a similar helmet and goggles on him to those that were worn on the bike ride.

"Jeffrey! It's been too long, old friend!" Snowy responded, before he looked at Carly. "This is Jeffrey, he's one of the oldest of the snowmen you'll find today! First made by some stranded fighter pilots in the 1910s!"

"Good evening, young lady!" Jeffrey responded with a tip of his hat, Carly giggling a bit.

"Hello snowpilot!" Carly called back.

"Snowpilot… I like that! I'm dropping the Jeffery, my name's Snowpilot now!"

Snowpilot accelerated ahead, triggering a green coloured cloud to spray out from the chemical spreader arms.

"Woohoo!" Carly squealed, Snowy laughing before he flew ahead at faster speed again.

They flew for a while longer… until in the distance, over the ocean, Carly saw it. An island, coated with snow and glistening magically.

Landing delicately on the ground, the two quietly walked ahead among a lightly snowed upon forest. Fallen twigs snapped under their feet, and here and there the remnants of the autumn, long dead and browned leafs, poked out from under the softly frozen water.

At last, they reached a clearing… and Carly couldn't believe her little eyes.

Closest to them, it was a massive, life sized gingerbread village with real gingerbread people walking and talking to each other. Further ahead, there was a frozen lake where a few snowmen were dashing around on ice skates, and to one side of that, a huge gazebo type construction made entirely of ice, polished and cCriagtal clear.

"Welcome to the wonderland." Snowy said after a few seconds of observing what was ahead of them. They slowly walked ahead, and Carly looked around in awe at it all. Everything, the magic, the secrets, the fairy tales… they were all real.

They walked ahead towards the space between the lake and the ice gazebo, to where there was multiple people stood around and dancing in a party. The most of them were made of snow, a couple of them were also from the gingerbread village. But what caught Carly's eye was the small number of flesh built humans, some around her age but some older.

"Hey, you two." They heard, seeing a gingerbread lady walk over with a clipboard and multiple paper sheets. "Carly and Snowy, right?"

"How did you know?!" Carly questioned with wide eyes.

"Christmas magic, kiddo. Now why don't you head on over there and meet some people?" The gingerbread lady answered, pointing over to the crowds.

Carly smiled before she and Snowy headed for the tables, Carly finding mini sausage rolls and taking one, though she didn't normally eat at night but she figured this was still going to be longer than a normal night yet, so she was willing to have a little bit to munch on.

"Hey… Carly, right?"

Carly turned around with her jaw still moving up and down as she chewed, seeing a bit a bit taller than her and about the same age, maybe a couple years younger.

"Yeah… what's your name?" Carly responded.

"Craig… Caril. I just… recognised you from school." Craig answered, Carly thinking for a moment.

"Oh yeah, of course, you're farmer boy! The one who put chicken soup in Mr. Gibson's tea!" Carly responded after a few moments, the two laughing.

"Yeah, that's me… so where's your snowman?" Craig replied, reaching past her to grab a mince pie.

"He's… that one. Snowy is nice… what about you?" Carly answered.

"He's off with the reindeer…" Craig replied, noticing the look on Carly's face. "Didn't you know? Santa himself is here…"

"He's… he's really here?!" Carly questioned with her eyes wide, Criag smiling.

"Hey, don't be so excited. He's here every year… stops to feed the reindeer and join in the celebration for a bit." Craig responded.

"Hm… what is there to do here? I mean… other than the party?" Carly questioned a few moments later.

A mischievous smirk appeared on Craig's face. "Come on… I know what we can do."

"Okay… I like that smile." Carly responded, knowing what Craig's smile meant as she knew the same one appeared on herself.

Time to get into all sorts of trouble.


	5. Father Christmas

One pair of eyes peeked up and over the top. The blue, pale yellow ringed eyes scanned across the surroundings, only touched by the short brown hair above. Then… the eyes descended back down, behind the cover of the stone wall.

A second pair of eyes rose up. Violet eyes that almost shone a midnight blue with the reflection of the snow, and topped up above with lighter brown locks. They scanned too, before just like the first… they descended and vanished.

"Can't see anyone, can you?"

Carly looked at Craig. "I saw a gingerbread man or two in the distance, nothing close enough to notice us." She responded.

Craig nodded… but he had to take a second glance at her eyes, thinking that either she was a rarity, or her sight was just as magical as the rest of this place.

The two climbed over the wall, the taller boy helping the shorter girl down once she was stood on top. They were past the lake now, beyond where the map in the gazebo had said they were allowed to go. They'd picked this specific direction because the map showed a small building at the edge, and they were just curious.

Careful on the ice, Carly's old Ludendorff instincts were only now coming back to her. However Craig had barely stepped in a patch of snow in his life…

"Feet flat down on the ice!" Carly laughed as Craig slipped and fell over, landing in a sat position. "Hey… if you press down on your heel first, you're also pushing forwards…" She explained as she helped him to his feet.

"So down… stomp like a robot?" Craig questioned, Carly laughing.

"Yeah… along those lines." She responded before they walked on, Craig practicing the new walking style as they went.

" _Of course they- of course they- of course they would- of course they would… you know what they're like…"_

Carly stopped in her tracks as she heard the distant whispering. She didn't recognise the voices… who were they?

"Hey, you okay?" Craig questioned, snapping Carly out of it.

Carly looked at him and nodded. "Yeah… I'm okay." She answered, before they continued ahead.

In the distance, they could now see glistening lights through the trees, and they could hear quiet grunts and noises that both would have thought would be made by an animal like a small cow.

But what animal basically was a small cow? Deer. Reindeer.

"It… no, it can't be!" Carly said as both hers and Craig's eyes began to widen, and they both quickened their pace. Ahead they began to make out the outline of the hut, a wooden one with a small chimney and large barn-like doors on the front, one of which was half open.

The two carefully, quietly crept ahead, the snow masking the noise of their footsteps for which they were eternally grateful. They peered in through the door…

Sure enough.

In the center of the room sat a red sleigh, with curved, shining silver blades either side, and an old style oil lantern on the front, currently out. There was also a small frame to which straps would be tied, straps which would lead to the six reindeer which were in individual small pens, the hut sheltering them from the cold outside and each one provided with water and food, and the chance to rest, before their long upcoming journey to every nation of the world.

"Oh… wow!" Carly said quietly as she took a daring move to step inside. She froze on the spot as a few of the reindeer looked up at her and Craig, and she looked at the nearest one. He returned the curious look, before he bowed his head slightly. Carly approached cautiously… and her hand reached out.

It was overwhelming, she'd never thought in a million years that she'd ever touch a real reindeer. It felt as magical as it was told to be, and his eyes closed slightly in a smile as Carly lightly stroked down the front of his face.

"It's… amazing." Carly said quietly, as across the room, Craig did the same with another reindeer.

"It is… hey, Carly, look…" Craig said halfway quietly, motioning Carly to the sleigh where in the back, the large sacks of presents were sat. "You want to?"

"Should we really?" Carly questioned. "I mean… it's sorta the magic that we discover them…"

"We're only looking a few hours early." Craig responded, as he headed for the sleigh…

"An hour can make all the difference in the world."

The two stopped in their tracks, frozen to the spot. They'd been caught…

"You could make a lovely dinner… or speak words to make an entire family's day." The arriving man continued, in a voice that was warm and soft…

"Maybe… are you…" Craig started to respond, trying to think of what to respond… but both he and Carly had eyes like tennis balls as they turned around to see who was there.

Large round belly. Long white beard. Red coat with white fur at the edges… well, there was no mistaking him.

"Yes. Craig Caril, Carly Townley… don't worry. You're not ending up on the 'naughty list' for this." Santa responded, and stepped into the building.

"It's… changed, my family changed our names… De Santa." Carly corrected him, but her wide eyes and smile didn't fade an inch.

"Aw, couldn't it be De Father Christmas instead?" Santa responded, Carly laughing. "Santa Claus… Saint Nicholas… good old Father Christmas was always my favourite."

"I always called you that…" Craig replied as Santa headed to his sleigh, climbing up onto his seat to reach into the sack, and at the same time Carly noticed that Snowy was stood in the doorway, watching them with a smile.

"Now, I know that your parents always tell you that it's bad luck to open your presents before the day, but… let's just say that it's very good luck indeed when it's me who lets you do it." Santa said while reaching into the sack that was printed on the side with 'America'. He finally brought out two wrapped presents, and handed them to Craig and Carly.

"Really? Wow… thank you, Sa- Father Christmas." Carly responded, as she and Craig opened their gifts. Craig smiled wide as he took out a green plushie tractor, and Carly found within her wrapping, a small ring with a stone, of the exact same violet-blue shade as her eyes. She looked at it with her own wide smile, before she put it on her finger and then darted and hugged onto Santa's waist.

"Ho… you're welcome, Carly. You're very welcome." Santa replied, his hand resting on her upper back as she hugged him. "Now… I think in Los Santos that it's getting close to the early morning now, isn't it?"

"Aw, already?" Carly pouted as she let go of Father Christmas, and Craig headed over to them as well.

"I'm afraid so, young ones. But don't worry…" Santa replied, before he crouched down to their height, steadying his balance against the sleigh. "...for as long as you enjoy your Christmases, the magic will always be there. And if you make your snowmen again… I'm sure they'll have no problems in bringing you along to the wonderland again."

"I certainly wouldn't, any year I'm built, I'll bring Carly here." Snowy agreed, Carly looking at him with a smile. "Now… time we were heading off I think. You too Craig, let's head back to your plane."

They headed back to the wonderland itself, finding Snowpilot brushing some freshly fallen snow off of the wings of the Carils' crop duster.

"Time to go already? I haven't even had any cake yet." Snowpilot questioned.

"You can have double next year… you think you can maybe spare the room?" Snowy replied, motioning to the plane.

"I think so… come on, we'll all squish up." Snowpilot answered, before they all climbed up into the seats, Craig and Carly on their snowmens' laps. Snowpilot started up the engine, and rolled the plane forward to the ice lake before he pushed the throttle up, the rotary engine roaring as it shot ahead and took to the skies.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" They all heard, looking down and waving to Santa as he stood outside of the hut. For a moment, Carly wondered… just what must it be like to ride in that sleigh, pulled through the skies by magical reindeer?

They flew far and fast, over the seas, under the great red bridge, over the hills… and eventually, Mount Chiliad came into sight, and before long, they were touching down on the Caril farm's airstrip.

They all climbed out and onto the ice covered dirt strip, Carly turning to Craig.

"I guess… I'll see you in school then, when the holidays are over." Carly said, as the two looked at each other.

"Yeah, we'll see each other then…" Craig replied, the two stood there for a moment… before Craig stepped closer, rested his right hand briefly on her left shoulder, and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

Carly stepped back a bit, smiling as she began to slightly blush… before she stepped back forward and threw her arms around Craig, the two hugging.

"Happy Christmas, Craig." Carly whispered, before they let go and she headed back over to Snowy.

"Last short flight?" Snowy questioned if she was ready.

"Until next year." Carly replied, Snowy smiling before the two ran and again took to the sky. The flight across the state only took a few minutes and eventually, regretfully, they descended to the Italian style mansion below.

Their feet touched the ground, and Snowy stood where he'd been made on the tennis court. "Go on now… get some sleep."

"I will, but…" Carly responded, before she wrapped her arms around Snowy. "Thank you…"

"You're welcome." Snowy responded, before they let go and Carly headed for the door. She took another glance back as she opened it… and Snowy was stood with his back to her as he'd been made, frozen in place and looking out across the city.

She headed inside, and shut out the cold… her glass of juice was still sat on the table, along with the half finished pizza. Heading upstairs, Carly found that everyone was still sound asleep. She got to her bedroom, and slipped off her ring, placing it down by the bedside lamp before she climbed into bed and curled up onto her side, pulling the covers over her.

She'd dream of the magic. She dreamt that she'd go back there next year, and many years after, with Snowy and Craig. She saw the three of them eating the party food from that gingerbread village, or skating across the lake…

And it was a perfect dream.

* * *

 _ **Happy Christmas all! Finishing chapter will be out in the coming days.**_


	6. Here Comes The Sun

Carly was quick to awaken again that magical morning. She could still see white atop the buildings from her bed, and the roads outside for this one day in the year, were silent and lifeless. All who usually drove them were at home with their families, asides from the brave few men and women who worked driving ambulances, catching criminals and saving buildings from the fire.

She took the time to let the drowsiness wear off, before her head rose quickly, looking at the beams of light shining in through the window... it was really Christmas!

The 8 year old shot up from the bed, as the events of the night flashed back through her head. Was it real? Was it an all too perfect dream? Carly supposed she'd only find out when she returned to school in the new year and met Craig again. She ran out of her room, but suddenly she had an idea... there was a way to tell if it was real. Snowy changed his clothes, when he'd re-frozen at the end of the night, he'd still been wearing Michael's jacket.

She glanced in through the doors. Michael and Amanda were just beginning to stir in their sleeps, their hands on each other in different places but strangely, Carly thought, at an arm's length away from each other. For as long as Carly could remember, her parents had always been so cuddly of each other.  
Jimmy was sat quiet on his bed, clicking through messages on his phone with his laptop on the bed near his leg, up on a page of the new LifeInvader website. Carly didn't recognise the short dark haired man on the screen with clear cheekbone lines... she guessed it was someone he played with online.  
Tracey was awake too, stood in front of her mirror while she brushed her hair. She glanced towards the door through the mirror as she noticed Carly there. "Hey, lil' sis."

"Hello... Tracey, can I tell you something... completely crazy?" Carly responded, her older sister turning around to face her, still running the brush through her hair.

"What is it?" Tracey questioned.

"Magic... it's real, Trace. Santa, the reindeer... flying and living snowmen, gingerbread people who talk, it's all real!" Carly replied as an excited smile spread across her face. Tracey chuckled slightly, before crouching down level with her.

"Yeah, it is, lil' one. Go on downstairs, don't you open any presents without us though." Tracey said... Carly left the room. She was confused and frustrated... she'd seen the magic herself, first hand. Now, how someone could so easily dismiss it was beyond her, as she recognised the faking tone, that Tracey was just saying that to treat her like a kid... maybe she should be grateful in some way though. It may have been wishful thinking, but maybe Tracey was really trying to preserve in Carly, the innocence which she herself had lost long before.

Heading downstairs slowly, Carly looked around... clocks were moving at the right pace, and the pizza on the dining table had been cleared up, ready for the evening's roast. She looked in the kitchen... she looked outside...

She couldn't see Snowy. Was it really real? Had he moved, or flown away?

Curiosity took command of her and Carly stepped outside, into the snow. Snow which was already beginning to melt away, and the ground beneath was showing through. She walked, slowly towards the tennis courts...

She saw a small flash of brown on the ground, but she knew that if it was the snow melting on the courts that the ground below was blue...

The jacket was brown.

Carly ran, she ran fast down the steps, almost slipping over several times before she reached the courts... There was a large, thicker mound of snow on the ground, the area around it already melted and now only covered by water. There, on the edge of the mound, lay Michael's jacket, dampened by the melted snow turning to water again. Also on the ground were the rocks used for Snowy's face... and the truth was impossible to ignore.

Snowy had melted. He was gone.

Carly couldn't help but fall to her knees beside her friend's chilly remains. She felt more than ever now that it was just a dream, despite the obvious change of the hat being gone and the jacket being there... but then there was what confirmed to her that it was real.

The ring. It still sat on her finger, violet-blue stone shining in the morning sunlight.

 ** _Song from this point: Doctor Who Unreleased Music: Twice Upon A Time - Vale Unus (From 1 minute in)_**

Carly looked up... maybe it was fixable. There was nowhere near enough snow to rebuild Snowy, but as she headed inside, she realised... she could build him again next year, and many years afterwards. She could still be doing it at 20, and even when she was 30 and by that point had children of her own, she could take them with her too.

At least... that was the plan in her head.

The problem, you see, is that Los Santos is quite far south on the globe. And we all know that snow is at the far North and South only, don't we?

The problem was... it would never snow in Los Santos again.

Carly would hold onto that magic for as long as she could... but 5 years later at 13, and then again at 17, she would suffer traumatic injuries to her head.

Memory loss.

By the time she actually did reach 20, she'd never remember that this whole magic happened.

Except, that is, in her dreams. When on some nights, around the Christmas period, she'd look into the deep darkness of sleep... and she'd see the faces of a white bearded man and a man made of snow, both smiling back at her, every year...

* * *

 _ **?**_

 _The magic happens in our dreams... that's where it always has been, deep inside our hearts. That's where it always will be._

 _You still don't know who I am, do you? Oh well..._

 _There's always next year._

* * *

 ** _Sorry for the slight tear-jerker there..._**

 ** _Happy new years peoples, let's make 2018 one to remember... we can only hope. :)_**


End file.
